At Home With Amanda Cowley

If I had to define my style or taste, I would have to say it's 'classic eclectic'. I am typically drawn to Victorian period furnishings, with interesting patterns or a carved design, and love anything with a scrolled detail or unique upholstery finish. I embrace colour and value the way it affects my mood from day to night and season to season. Our moss green living room, although fresh and light during the day, can easily feel moody and romantic with lots of candlelight during dinner parties in the evenings. However my favourite time of day is late afternoon during the summer months, when the sun has made its way over the house and shines through the back door, filling the kitchen with bright, warm sunlight as we cook away — those are the moments I wait all year for."  "The project I am most proud of is the portrait of my Oma I painted and have on display in our dining room. After stumbling across the photograph I used as inspiration for the painting, taken by my Opa sometime during the 1950's, I fell in love with every last detail of the image, and decided it would serve as the perfect opportunity to try my hand at painting—an arts & crafts medium that was totally foreign to me, yet something I had always been interested in. From the moment I picked up the paintbrush and started blending colours, right to the very last stroke of my signature, I loved everything about working on the painting." "Over the last 7 years we have made mainly aesthetic changes to the home. A fresh coat of paint has made its way onto every inch of wall space, trim, doors and ceilings, except for our master bedroom which is the next project on the list! For a century home with 100-year-old bones, we have been beyond lucky that no serious renovations have been required, and have truly been able to spend our time in the house really making it our own. The gardens all received a lot of love, and now serve as my personal flower shop where I gather clippings of lilacs in the spring, and perennial greens throughout the summer, to bring inside and add a freshness to the space. It's amazing how adding a houseplant or two to a room, or even just a few hosta leaves in a pretty vase, can bring your home to life."Thanks for sharing your home with us, Amanda! You can find more of Amanda on her website or over on Instagram.